After The War
by ronnings
Summary: What do each of the Gaang do after the war, do they remain friends and write to each other? Do they respond to Aangs urgent letter? Will they figure out the problem? Aang writes a letter to Toph, Sokka and Suki, Katara, and Zuko. How does Katara respond to Zuko dating Mai? Aang begins to plan a peace council and asks each one of them for their participation.


**1.) I WISH THAT I COULD HAVE JUST GIVEN THIS JOB TO SOMEONE ELSE. **I mean it used to sound great, fighting in a war and all that. At the beginning of my exile, I hated my father for declining me that chance. I guess after a year or so, I actually thanked him for it. Now I have to bring the whole resistance up to my father's capital and wage one last battle.

As I look around, I see tired men; and a few women still hanging around, mostly non-benders but the only person I really care about is in front of roughly 100 soldiers all clad in blue with warriors ponytails and spears or swords. Sure a few Water Tribe women are there, but mostly as healers. I look to Katara's right by forcibly tearing my eyes from her and look at Bual who despite her age is a spritely woman capable of frustrating Katara in much the same manner that uncle does me. Bual is Katara's right hand besides Sokka of course, but it seems that he and Suki are off doing gods-know-what most likely in the tent that I gave Sokka.

My uncle tells me that I need to speak, so I glance at my men and clear my throat ,and uncle introduces me like a circus act.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Soldiers and Healers, Benders and Non-Benders alike, and you Aang, I present… Fire Lord Zuko!"

_Oh gods uncle! I am beginning to think that he believes I am the actual Fire Lord. Even Aang, Toph, Sokka, Suki , and Katara are calling me that now._

"**ZU-KO, ZU-KO, ZU-KO !" **

"Today we will rest up, for tomorrow we take down my father, Fire Lord Ozai." There are boos at the mention of him being Fire Lord, but I press on and they soon quiet down. "I give each and every one of you the chance to exit the battle before it starts, with an Honorably Discharged stamped on your papers. If you stay, I cannot guarantee your safety either way, but if you chose to fight, know that we will call you into your highest form of focus in your bending, healing, or swordsmanship and skill. The risk is great and the more Air-Benders we bring in the more we can lose. Those of you who bend the air may leave if The Avatar says so, do you Aang?"

"Of course I agree. We must think of our species, not merely Ozai and his crimes."

At this a chorus of 'No' and 'My brother/sister has Air-Bending kids' and the like echo through Aang's people. He grins that crazy grin of his and I nod in return.

"Alright. When you fight the army of tomorrow's battle, be sure that you know what you and I are up against so listen. These men are elite Fire-Benders, some of which can and **will** bend lightning at you. You must not rely on strength alone because our healers cannot heal death. Those of you who survive the battle that is yet to come are lucky, but you will remember the men who stood next to you and gave their lives so we might succeed. The main goal of this attack is for Aang to defeat my dad, and you" I point at them as a whole. "to kill or take prisoners of those who will oppose us."

I finish to a large deafening roar of applause. I look at the soldiers laid out in front of me all of them are tired, but the knowledge that this battle could end the war makes them smile with glee, and hopefully give one final strong push against my father. My scar aches, I ignore it and look at Katara who smiles at me from ear to ear, and I smile back. I dismiss my men with a wave of the hand and walk off the mound of Earth Toph bent into a makeshift stage. Immediately, Toph walks up with Aang near her somewhere one her left and greets me with, "Nice speech Sparky." Quickly followed by an, "You really spoke to us, I mean a real talking to! HAHAHA Sparky, seriously it wasn't that bad."

"Thanks for your support Toph." I respond with just as much sarcasm. "Aang are you ready for tomorrow?"

His grin is wiped off of his face when I ask him that, he thinks on it for a while, then very softly he tells me, "Zuko, I have to be, don't I? So I am." He quickly cheers up and says, "Where are the two fuck-friends?"

"I would imagine they're doin' the upside down hokey-poke with the lights off!" Toph laughs at her own wit is the best word for it.

"Suki seems to be rather horny as of late and I imagine my brother doesn't mind her attitude. He is just happy to finally have some 'alone time' with his girl." Katara joins the conversation rather quietly, almost just like Mai would've.

"And you're good with that Sugar Queen?"

Katara frowns, which really doesn't suit her, but says nothing. Aang yawns and decides that he should 'hit the hay' as it were. Toph just goes off to drink and smoke with the Sailors.

"Katara, would you care for a smoke?"

"I would love to, but why not over there." she points to a hill about 200 feet in the distance.

"Sounds great Katara, here I'll light it now." Snap-Crackle-Smoke and they're lit. "So what do you care to talk about Katara?"

"Everything, nothing, it really doesn't matter too much, maybe some flirtation." She raises her eyebrows twice seductively.

"Ha ha Katara, are you trying to hop into bed with the unofficial Fire Lord?" Normally I wouldn't play this card, but we're just joking around so I figured why not?

"I wouldn't say unofficial."

"Ok, but is it necessary to call me the Fire Lord? I mean I don't have a crown or a banner or a nation for that matter, I have only an army of a fucking crazy air-bending Avatar, plus two crazy old folks and about 1 Toph! Not to mention the damn fire-benders and their non-bending friends, I mean originally there were only 4 of you and then I joined you guys."

"True true, but know we don't hate you and you don't chase us all around the world so your fucking dad can 'restore your honor' or whatever the hell it was."

"Don't forget Azula."

"Right her gods-damned crazy ass."

"She still is my sister you know."

"Oh sorry Zuko, I didn't mean that."

"It is kinda true though isn't it?"

I light another round of cigarettes and we smoke til late at night when I realize she fell asleep so I woke her up and we went back to our tents.

A/N:

Hooray we finished Chapter 1! I am super excited to write this Fan Fic and can't wait for Chapter 2. However, before the battle, I want some Sokka/Suki fluff and of course Zuko/Katara fluff. I like some instant fluff as much as the next author, but I need a reason for it to occur, so be patient and it will happen again. I thought a bit of Zutara chit-chattin' would satisfy the first chapter and it did. This chapter was just to get you settled in with the Characters, and where we jump off of Canon and jump into Fan Fic. I don't like all of the Canon pairings so some of them change not just Zutara. Ages, right basically, Toph/Aang are 14/15 Zuko/Sokka are 21/22 and Katara/Suki are 19/20. It just makes more sense that way. Also, smoking, drinking, and swearing will occur, all of which I will try to not have it ruin the story. I don't really want to have Momo because he just requires an extra sentence and well, I am lazy. I will include Appa, but he will get tired, or need food, and he will **NOT** be able to go anywhere within 30 hours. Like I said, he needs to sleep too just like anyone of the other characters. Zuko/Katara are still basically just have mutual crushes at this point and hang around as just friends by the way.


End file.
